Protective apparel may be worn by surgeons and other care givers or other medical personnel in order to protect patients from infection. Orthopedic procedures and particularly those involving exposed bone are very susceptible to infection and osteomyelitis. Therefore protective apparel may be used to create a sterile field, typically achieved by a gown, often referred to as a “toga” that provides a barrier between the healthcare professionals and the patient.
In some cases, helmets may be worn on the head of the surgical staff supporting the protective apparel. The helmets however can be heavy and can result in a high center of gravity as they extend upwards from the head, resulting in discomfort and an un-ergonomic fit. This can lead to undue neck and back strain on the surgeon. Further, a face shield and an apparel drape can add weight and drag to a helmet. Protective apparel including a helmet, face shield, and apparel drape often restricting movement of the wearer's head due to the added weight and drag.
Further, the face shield may result in a limited field of vision. Additionally, as a result of the contours and nature of the helmet alignment above the head, the face shield may sit close to the wearer's face and may create an uncomfortable and claustrophobic feel. Face shield size may be limited by the outer contours of the helmet. Extending portions of the face shield and/or protective apparel that hang off of the helmet may cause further drag and undue strain.
Some solutions incorporate a chin bar on the helmet that couples to portions of the apparel; however this may further limit the field of vision of the surgeon, and may add more weight to the helmet. Typically patients are positioned below the surgeon's head and may be positioned such that the chin bar obstructs the surgeon's view of the patient.
The protective apparel may enclose the wearer's head and may trap in air exhausted by the wearer. Fans have been incorporated into the helmet and positioned on top of the user's head, and may add even more weight to the helmet further exacerbating the weight and center of gravity issues described above. The fan may draw air in through the gown material and may result in increased current drain on the fan. This may result in reduced battery life or an increased size of the power source to effectively transport air into the interior space of the protective suit.
In some cases the power source must be carried off-helmet in order to incorporate enough energy to power the fan. In such case, a cable may run from the helmet to the power source, typically on a belt, and may restricting the wearer's movement, may rub against the wearer and/or may become unplugged during a procedure, such as a surgery. These fans may further prevent effective air circulation as they may merely force air into the enclosed area around the wearer's head.
Further, donning procedures may be important in maintaining the sterile field about the wearer. Current helmet systems may be cumbersome and may include unnecessary steps to don the system while maintaining sterility.
Thus, there is a need for a protective apparel support apparatus that is light weight, ergonomically configured and improves the wearer's environment.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the disclosure will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description thereof with the accompanying drawings described below.